Peteds



( No Model.)

2 Sheet s-Sheet 1. P.- BARR. Signal Buoy.

Patented Feb. 8,188].

Juan.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 2. P. B A RR.

Signal Buoy. No. 237,361. Patnted Feb. 8,1881.

N-FETERS. PHom-uTHcGRAP Ea, WASHINGT PATENT Farce.

FRANK BARR, OF THE UNITED STATES REVENUE MARINE.

SIGNAL-BUOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,361, dated February8, 1881. Application filed June 2, 1880. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK BARR, a captain in the Revenue Marine of theUnited States, and a citizen of the United States, domiciled therein,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticSignal-Buoys; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure l is a View representing themethod of anchoring the buoy. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the buoydetached from its anchorage. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view. Fig. 4 is avertical central section, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section through line as.r in Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My invention relates to that class of signalbuoys in which the signalsare produced automatically by air compressed by the vertically--reciprocating motion of the buoy, induced by the surface-waves, in atube or cylinder which extends from the bottom of the buoy down intostill water; and it consists, first, in the combination, with a buoy ofthis class, of an air reservoir or chamber and an engine or other motoroperated by compressed air and placed within said chamber; secondly, inthe combination, with the buoy, its air-chamber, and its compressed-airmotor or engine, of a dynamo-electric engine and an electric lampoperated by the motor; thirdly, in the combination, in a single buoy, ofa fog-signal and an electric beacon-light operated by compressed airindependent of one another; and,

'fourthly, in the detailed arrangement, construction, and combination ofparts of my improved signal-buoy, substantially as hereinafter fully setforth.

The fact that at a certain distance below the surface of the ocean thewater is always in a quiescent state, regardless of the agitation in theform of waves of its surface, has long ago been taken advantage of inthe construction of automatically-operatin g signal-buoys in thefollowing manner: The buoy is provided with a downwardly-extendingcylindrical tube of waves. By lifting the buoy up and down as i it ridesupon the surface-waves the column of water within the tube will operatelike a piston, or, rather, the inclosed colum n of water will remainstationary while the enveloping-tube works up and down around it; and byproviding the upper closed part ofthe tube with a suitable air-inlethaving an inwardly-opening check-valve, air will be fed into the tubeevery time the buoy rises on the crest of a wave, and as it descendsinto the trough of the wave the air-inlet is closed by the pressure fromwithin, and the compressed air contained in the upper part of the tubeor cylinder is forced out through a whistle or other sounding apparatus,which forms the air outlet or exit from the tube or compressed-airchamber. Thus we have an automatic signal-buoy signaling by whistling;but by my invention: an additional means of signaling by light isprovided,

the advantage of whichis too apparent to require demonstration. I

In the drawings hereto attached, A is the upper air-tight chamber orbody of the buoy, which is placed upon a boat or praani, B, havin g afiat deck, I).

O is the tubeorcylinder, which extends from the bottom of the upperchamber or body of the buoy down through the lower part or boat B, andshould be of such a length as to reach down into the still-water regionbelow the surface or region of agitation. A pipe, D, reaches from theupper closed end of tube 0 up through the air-chamber, passing throughits top, and is provided with a back-pressure valve or any othersuitably-constructed valve, (1, through which air is fed into the tubeor cylinder 0 at every rising of the boat with its superimposed chamber.As the boat descends into the trough of the sea valve 01 is closed as tothe inlet of pipe D, but opens into the chamber A, thus allowing the airto escape at d out intosaid chamber or reservoir, which is inclosedairtight on all sides. Thus it will be observed that the upper part orbody of the buoy forms a storage chamber or reservoir for compressedair, in pipe 0 above the water-line, and this is utilized to drive anengine, E, or other motor of suitable construction and capable of beingoperated by compressed air.

In the drawings I have represented an oscillating-cylinder engine,which, as usual in this class of engines, feeds through a hollowtrunnion and exhausts through a pipe, 0, which extends up through thetop of the buoy and is provided with a suitably-constructed cap toprevent ingress of water in rough weather. This engine or motor, whichshould be provided with asuitably-constructed governor (by preference soarranged that it may be adjusted from the outside of the buoy withoutopening said buoy) for the purpose of regulating and controlling itsspeed, runs a dynamo-electric engine, F, which supplies the currentthrough wiresm n for an electric lamp or lantern, G, placed upon the topof the buoy.

If it is desired to use an oil lamp or lantern a Fresnel light, forexample-instead of the electric light, the engine E may be employed topump the oil from the hold in the lower part of the buoy-i. e., the boatB, which is capable of containing a large supply, lasting severalmonthsup into the lamp, which should have an asbestus or otherindestructible wick, and also an overflow-pipe for conveying the surplusof oil back into the reservoir in the boat. Orthe compressed-airmotor,constructed and arranged as described, may be employed to run agas-engine, or, in fact, any other kind of engine or apparatus forproducing a light adapted for the circumstances and conditions of thecase. The buoy itself is of sufficient size to serve as a day-mark, andwe have seen how it may also, by my invention, be made to serve thepurposes of a beacon or night-signal. By the attachment of a whistle,siren, or other sounding apparatus, it may be made to serve as afog-signal also, in a very simple and efficient manner, and altogetherindependent of the apparatus for operating the light-signal, in thefollowing manner:

The downwardly-extending tube or cylinder 0 is divided bya longitudinaldiaphragm, 0, Figs. 4 and 5, into 'two compartments, 0 f, the larger oneof which, 0, forms the lower compressed-air chamber with its stationarycolumn of water, furnishing the power to run the motor in the upperair-chamber, A, in the manner described. The smaller compartment, f, iscontinued up through the said chamber A by a pipe, H, which, in likemanner as pipe D, is fitted with a back-pressure valve and provided witha whistle or other sounding apparatus, I, at its upper end, whichprojects out through the top of the buoy. I prefer to enlarge that partof pipe H which passes through chamber A, as shown in Fig. 4. of thedrawings, by which means an air chamber or reservoir is formed ofsufficient capacity to hold a suitable quantity of compressed air tooperate the whistle. As the buoy rises on the crest of which is fed intoit from the air-chamber a wave airenters pipe H and the compartment fthrough the back-pressure valve, which is closed as the buoy descends,but opens the inlet to the whistle, which is sounded by the forcing ofthe compressed air through it.

The lower part of the buoy, consistingvof the boat or praam B, is of theconstruction and shape shown in the drawings, and is provided with atreble keel, or rather a keel composed of a middle part or keel proper,K, which extends from the peak or stem of the boat abaft to tube 0,against which its rear end abuts, and two parallel side wings, L L,reaching from about the middle of tube 0 back to the stern of the boat.By this construction and arrangement of the boat with its keels I securesteadiness of motion of the buoy, causin g it to stand vertical in anysea.

The buoy is connected by a chain or steel rope, M, of suitable length,to a nun-buoy, N,

which is anchored by a chain cable, 0, in midocean, or wherever else itmay be desired to place the buoy. This arrangement gives a more freevertical motion to the buoy A B than if it has to drag the heavyanchoringcable which is supported by the intermediate nun-buoy, N.Besides, chafing of the downwardly-extending tube against theanchoringcable is thereby absolutely prevented.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. A signal-buoy provided with anair reservoir or chamber, means for feeding andcompressing air into saidreservoir or chamber by the motion of the buoy, and an engine or motorplaced within said reservoir and operated by compressed air,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination,with a signal-buoyhavin g a water-tube extendingdownwardly below the bodyof the buoy, of a compressed-air cham her orreservoir and an engine or motor adapted to be operated by compressedair, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a signal-buoy having a down wardly-exten dingwater-tube with an air reservoir or chamber above the water-level, anupper air-chamber fed from said lower chamber, an engine placed withinsaid upper reservoir or chamber and adapted to be operated by compressedair, and an exhaust leading from the engine to the outside of theair-chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. In a signal-buoy, a downwardly-extending water-tube divided by alongitudinal partition or diaphragm into two compartments, adapted tosupply two or more separate chambers or reservoirs, A H, in the buoywith compressed air, independent of one another, substantially as setforth.

5. In a signal-buoy an inclosed air-chamber, means for feeding andcompressing air into said chamber by the motion of the buoy, an electriclamp or lantern placed outside of said chamber, wires or conductorsconnecting said lamp or lantern with a dynamo-electric engine arrangedinside of the chamber, and an airengine or motor placed within saidair-chamber and connected by suitable gearing or beltin g to theelectric engine, all constructed, combined, and operating substantiallyas and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

6. A signal-buoyhaving an upper air-chamber, a boat or float supportingsaid air-chamber, an open-bottomed tube or cylinder extending downwardlyfrom the air-chamber, and a pipe or tube leading from the tube orcylinder through the air-chamber to the outer air, said pipe having aback-pressure or similar valve adapted to alternately open the pipe tothe outer air but close it to the air-chamber, and vice versa,substantially as set forth.

7 A signal-buoy having an air-chamber, a boat or float supporting saidair-chamber, an open bottomed tube or cylinder extending downwardly fromthe air-chamber and divided by a longitudinal diaphragm into twocompartm ents a pipe leading from one of said compartments to the outerair, and a pipe leading from the other of said compartments to the outerair, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

8. The boat-shaped buoy fioat'or support B, having downwardly-extendin gwater-tube G, a middle keel, K, extending from the stem toward andabutting against said water-tube, and two side keels or wings, L L,extending from the middle abaft to the stern of the boat, substantiallyas set forth.

9. The signal-buoy A B, with downwardlyextending water-tube C and treblekeel K L L, attached to an anchoring-cable, M, below the water-line byits middle keel, K, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BARR. Witnesses:

LoUIs BAGGER, AUGUST PETERSON.

